Teambuilding
What is a Team?
 A team is a coordinated group of individuals organized to work together to achieve a specific,
common goal.
Teams do the following:
 Teams develop clearly defined roles, duties, and responsibilities.
 Teams have clearly defined rules and expectations for team operation.
 Teams develop clear, well-defined goals.
 Teams have coordinated and collaborative methods for accomplishing the work.
Characteristics of an Effective Team
A clear elevating goal
 Have a goal that is clear and motivates members to do the best for the team. A results-driven
structure
 Have a clear sense about the roles and responsibilities of each team member. Competent
team members
 Team members need to be adequately trained and assigned to roles that best fit their talents.
Unified commitment
 “All for one and one for all.” A collaborative climate
 Operate in a climate of support not defensiveness.
 Standards of excellence
 Establish high standards and reach for the stars!
 External support and recognition
 Find support from other organizations and advisors and remember to recognize all
accomplishments. Principled leadership
 Spread leadership throughout your team!
Enhancing Team Effectiveness
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Develop and clarify the team goal.
Learn the strengths of each team member.
Clarify group expectations and set team ground rules.
Identify barriers that may keep the team from achieving its goals.
Use effective communication skills.
Develop a plan to accomplish the goal.
Put the plan into action.
Evaluate the plan and the procedures.
Team Roles/ Group Task Roles
Initiator-Contributor
 Proposes new ideas or approaches to problem solving.
Information Seeker
 Asks for clarification of suggestions or facts.
Opinion Seeker
 Asks for clarification of values/opinions expressed.
Opinion Giver
 Provides facts, examples, and stats pertaining to problems.
Elaborator
 Provides examples based on his/her experiences with a possible solution to a problem.
Coordinator
 Tries to clarify relationships among ideas and suggestions provided.
Orienteer
 Summarizes what has occurred and tries to keep group focused.
Evaluator-Critic
 Judges the evidence and conclusions of group.
Energizer
 Tries to motivate the group to action.
Group Building/Maintenance Roles
Encourager
 Offers praise and understanding of others’ suggestions and ideas.
Harmonizer
 Mediates disagreements.
Compromiser
 Attempts to resolve conflicts by reaching an acceptable decision among the group.
Gatekeeper/Expediter
 Encourages less talkative group members to participate and limits lengthy contributions of
over-eager group members.
Standard Setter
 Helps to set standards and goals.
Group Observer
 Keeps records of the groups’ process and evaluates it.
Follower
 Goes along with suggestions and ideas of group members.
Individual Roles
Aggressor
 Destroys or deflates status of others, tries to take credit for others’ contributions.
Blocker
 Negative, stubborn, and disagreeable to others.
Recognition Seeker
 Seeks the spotlight through boasting own achievements.
Self-Confessor
 Use group as audience to report personal slights, feelings, etc.
Playboy
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Cynical, nonchalant member who does not really care about the group or their involvement in it.
Dominator
 Asserts authority by manipulating group members or attempting to take over, uses flattery or
assertive behavior to dominate situations.
Understanding group roles helps you to be a more productive member of your organization.
When you understand how you act and realize why some act other ways, it can help you to
understand how to address other peoples’ styles. Individual roles obviously take away from the
team, but if a team is not working well we often take on those roles. By taking on roles that
promote team building, it may save your team!
Types of Power
There are five types of power. Each has different influential factors:
Legitimate Power
• Being elected, appointed, or selected to lead a group.
Referent Power
• Being well liked.
Expert Power
• A member’s knowledge and information.
Reward Power
• Providing rewards for desired behavior.
Coercive Power
• The ability to punish another.
While there are healthy types of power, it can effect the group process by adding a struggle for
more power to the picture. People want as much power as possible and this can step into the
boundaries of effectiveness. Members who want more power also shift the purpose of the team
from team gain to individual gain.
If you are interested in specific teambuilding activities for your organization, stop by the
Office of Student Development and take a look at our resources.
Handout created from notes compiled from Communicating in Small Groups: Principles and Practices BySteven A. Beebe & John T. Masterson
* The Office of Student Development * The University of Texas-Pan American.*
*University Center, Room 205*
Phone: 956-665-2660 * Fax: 956-665-2661*Email: osd@utpa.edu
www.osd.utpa.edu